What makes for a great homepage?

If you search for a business online, click on their website and all you see is an aesthetically displeasing and outdated mess, you'll probably be disinclined to continue looking and render their services useless or subpar.

First impressions are important and your homepage is there to showcase what it is you have to offer. A great homepage should attract, captivate, educate and encourage visitors. With that in mind, if you want to create your own great homepage, there are a few things to consider when designing it.

Define your identity

You want to be clear and concise about who you are as a business. A great homepage shouldn’t be complicated, cluttered or unfocused, but rather should contain an easy to read introduction and clear navigation to your other pages. It should be unique to you, showcasing your logo and look appealing to the eye.

Simplicity

Simplicity is the sign of a great homepage. Complexity isn’t.

You really don’t want an overcomplicated page, full of unless widgets, links and other clutter-making aspects, because these things detract from your goal and can overwhelm, confuse or bore your visitors.

Your homepage should be easy to read, with a streamlined design and clearly labelled sections for easy navigation through the website. The information available on your homepage should contain only critical points – such as your identity, your address, and contact details.

Above the fold

‘Above the fold’ is a term that’s used to describe the upper half of the front page of a newspaper, which traditionally showcases the most important new story. It is also used to describe the first half of a website page, which is visible within the browser. This section is the first thing a visitor will see, and we already know how important first impressions are.

With this in mind, for a great homepage you need to figure out what information you want to be included in this section. Considering your layout will be really important here.

Other design elements

Alongside the layout, there are also other design elements you will want to consider in order to create a great homepage.

Colour

It is a known fact that colours can have psychological effects on individuals, and can be interpreted and engaged with differently. Come up with a colour palette that is both inviting and communicative.

Font

Fonts can also have a psychological effect on individuals. Font can affect human perception, and simpler fonts are known to be more appealing to those wanting to assimilate information than fancier fonts. A font has a personality attached to it, and can relay different kinds of emotions. Avoid using a lot of different fonts in one place; on the other hand, a simple font used consistently, will enable your visitors to easily read your information.

Imagery

Imagery is a really strong medium that can provoke responses, highlight themes and transcend simple words. If you’re going to use imagery, make sure it correlates well with your brand, and is unique to you.

Creating a responsive homepage can be challenging, so you can always outsource your design and creation process by hiring freelancers to do the work for you. The great news is that you can start your search right here on fivesquid, where you’ll find a fantastic range of website services, whether it’s website design you’re after or engaging content or copy.